Revolving axle.



PATENTED MAY 19,1903.,

- W.. P'. BANGS.

RBVoLv-ING AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1902.

UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.4

REvoLvlNe AxLE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 728,352, dated May 19, 1903.

Application tiled July 14, 1902.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BANGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baton Rouge, in the parish of Baton Rouge, Statel of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Vin Revolving Axles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and'exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to revolving axles for vehicles; and it has for its object to provide a cheap and simple construction wherein the sections of an axle will rotate freely and independently of each other and in which said sections will beheld securely in axial alinement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this nature wherein the bearings will be eciently lubricated, other objects and advantages ofthe invention being understood from the following description.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 isa transverse section through a vehicle equipped with the Vpresent invention and including a pair of alining axle-sections, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. through one of the boxes of the center bearing. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the center bearing.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a vehicle comprising the axletree 5, on which is mounted the bolster 6, that carries the body of the vehicle, and to the axletree 5 are attached the bearing-boxes for the section of the corresponding axle.

There are employed two end bearing-boxes 7 and 8, having cylindrical passages therethrough in which are disposedthe sections 9 and 10 of the axle, and on the sides of these boxes are cast or otherwise formed the cups or pockets 11, having covers 12, said cups or pockets being arranged to receive a lubricant which passes from the pockets to the bearingsurface of the box. It will be understood, of course, that these cups or pockets may oontain waste, if desired. y

To hold the boxes 7 and 8 to the tree 5, said f the hubs.

Serial No. 115,572. (No model.)

boxes have the loops or bands 7 formed thereon and through which are engaged the reduced ends of the axletree. In addition to these loops or bands may be employed bolts 13, engaged through the boxes and the tree, as illustrated. A

The center bearing comprises two boxes 14 and 15, having alining passages 16 and 17 thereth rough,which are cylindrical and which are in axial alinement with the passages of the boxes 7 and 8. The boxes 14 and 15 are connected by the rigid web 18, which is cast integral with the boxes, so that the latter are held securely from displacement with respect to each other.

On the sides of the boxes 14 and 15 are cast cups 19 and 2O to receive lubricants, these cups having ducts leadingy therefrom to the bearing-surfacesV of the boxes and having covers to prevent ingress of foreign matter. To hold the boxes 14 and 15 to the axletree, bolts 22 may be engaged therethrough and through the axletree, or clips may be passed around the boxes.

After the boxes have been secured in place in the manner above described the axle-section 9 is engaged with the boxes 7 and 14, while the axle-section 10 is engaged with the boxes 8 and .15. The axle-sections have ianges 24 and 25 near to their outer ends,

*and beyond these iianges are disposed the hubs 26 and 27 of wheels. On the inner ends 'ofthe hubs are disposed plates 35, having pins 36, which engage the hubs and prevent rotation of the plates, and in the outer faces of the plates are angular recesses 37, in which are received the angular flanges 24 25 ofthe shaft-sections. Against the outer ends of the hubs are disposed plates 39, which are held against rotation by the pins 40, that engage Nuts 28 are screwed onto the threaded ends of the axle-sections and impinge against the plates 39 'and Vclampthe hubs rmly to the axle-sections. As the axlesections rotate the inner facesof the flanges 24 and 25 thereof bear against th'eouter ends of the boxes 7 and 8 to limit the movement of the wheels toward each other, and to prevent separation of the wheels the inner ends of the axle-sections are passed entirely through the boxes 14 and 15 and have washers 30 and 31, which bear against the inner faces of the IOO said boxes. Pins 32 and 33 are engaged through the inner ends of the axle-sections and prevent dislodgment of the Washers. By putting in different Washers or adding to the number of Washers the axles may be drawn inwardly to compensate for Wear, and by tapering the axle-sections in the directions of their inner ends they may be adjusted to conipensate for Wear between them and the bearing-faces in the boxes.

It will be understood that in practice modiications of the speeiiic construction shown may be made and that any suitable materials and proportions may be used for the various parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In a vehicle, the combination with an axletree having reduced ends, of bearing-boxes disposed against the under faces of the ends of the axletree and having npwardly-directed loops in which the reduced portions of the tree are received, said boxes having also bolts engaged with their inner end portions and connected with the tree, a pair of intermediate bearing-boxes having a connecting-Web at their under sides With which they are integral, axle-sections engaged each with an end bearing-box and the adjacent inner bearing-box and having means for holding them against outward movement, and Wheels fixed to the axle-sections beyond the bearing-boxes. In testimony whereof I a'fiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. BANGS. Witnesses:

L. E. DRoz, MARC. T. CARPENTER. 

